Damien Symonds

Ok, please swap the screens around 1 <-> 2. See if that makes any difference (it almost certainly won't.) Then install Firefox and set it up exactly per these instructions. Then, see what Firefox matches - ACR or PS.

Ok, next question. Back to the control panel - which screen is "Screen 1" and which is "Screen 2"? If you're like most people, the laptop will be #1, and the external will be #2, is that right? Oh, further to that question, which web browser do you use?

Let's continue our discussion here. Email is so clumsy. What screen are you editing on at the moment?

Just to check - your Color Setting (in the Edit menu) are still on "North America General Purpose 2" like they should be, right?

Ok, that's disappointing, but let's press on. You may return the screen to the normal profile now. In Photoshop, with your photo open, go to Edit>Assign Profile. Presently your image has sRGB, of course - I want you to assign the monitor profile to it instead. Then tell me if that makes the problem better, worse, different or no change.

While the screen is awful and green, can the difference still be seen? Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Channelling a bit of Dr Seuss I mean, while you're on the "toggle" profile, are ACR and PS still different?

Excellent. Next, I need you to do this: https://www.damiensymonds.net/art_vista.html Once the app and the profile is installed, I need to know if toggling the profile corrects the problem on the external screen. (It probably goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, that the app needs to be on the screen you wish to toggle - the external one, in this case.)

Excellent. Next question, can you confirm that your screen setting is on "Extend"? It must be Extend, anything else is bad.

Ok, good. So it's definitely a problem related to a second screen, but it's not related to a specific second screen, because you've tried with both a screen and a TV, and the problem appeared with both. Am I summarising correctly so far?

Good. Now we come to the crux. Have you ever, in this whole sad process, seen Photoshop and ACR not match each other on the laptop screen? (I know what you said about the laptop screen not being a good match for the prints, nor a good interface for your eyes, but for now I just need to know if the ACR-PS match is rock-solid on it, no matter what.)

Ok, one more time. PLEASE answer the question.

Whoa, shit, no. Not the ACR filter. You must NEVER open that thing, under any circumstances. I'm talking about actual ACR, that you get when you open a raw file from your hard drive or Bridge.

PLEASE, I know this is all obvious to you, but I can't see what you see. Do Photoshop and ACR match each other on the laptop screen?

Not really ... what? Not really matching the prints? What about the issue of Photoshop and ACR? Are they "not really" matching either, or is that aspect ok?

Ok, I need a bit more clarification (sorry). If you take the external monitor out of the equation (that is, don't even have one plugged in) can you calibrate the laptop to accurately match your prints, in both ACR and PS?

Faded? Like, you literally saw it "slide" from good to bad before your eyes?

Wait ... you are using your Shift key, aren't you??

Hi Melanie, gosh. How nasty. Just to clarify - which one matches your prints - ACR (contrasty) or Photoshop (dull)? Also, is this problem ONLY evident in Adobe programs? What about your web browser?

This would be my approach. Download PSD Based on this method.

That's because a little bit of the yellow needs to be coming through the veil, right?

The digital files that you're selling shouldn't be over 5MB anyway. What quality level did you end up choosing, to get it under that mark? Whichever suits your workflow. They're the same in terms of quality. You must must must must MUST renew the Sharpening Class. The new module will blow your mind.

To answer that, I need to know more about the purpose for which you're saving. You mentioned a "card company". What are you working on, exactly?

Yeah, 12 is ridiculous. They're great, thanks. Hope you and yours are well too.

I'm sorry, I can't hang around any longer. I have to dash to get the kids. I'm asking for the 100% crop because I want to be sure you've removed all the noise. Noise is a HUGE factor in file size: https://www.damiensymonds.net/2015/08/about-jpeg-file-size.html As long as it's clean, then all you need to do is choose a low enough quality level for the save, so that it's below 5MB. It shouldn't be any trouble at all.

Thanks, that's more like it. Next, can you show me a 100% crop from the image? Also, when you saved the jpeg from your PSD master file, do you remember what quality level you chose?